Midseason NBA awards ballot: Is Sixers’ Joel Embiid MVP?
With the All-Star break fast approaching, it’s time to hand out some mid-season awards. The Sixers are, as expected, smack in the middle of the conversation, with Joel Embiid mounting yet another strong campaign for MVP. He’s right in the mix, as is Philadelphia — only 1.0 game out of first place as of this article’s publication.
That being said, we will break down each category of the race: Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player, Sixth Man of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year, MVP, and the All-NBA teams.
To get the ball rolling…
2022 midseason NBA awards ballot: Defensive Player of the Year
- Rudy Gobert, Jazz
- Draymond Green, Warriors
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
Draymond Green is a singularly talented defensive player and is a lot of folks’ No. 1 right now. That said, a potentially lengthy absence and the simple fact that Rudy Gobert is also a singularly talented defensive player keep him just off the top for now.
There is still no better defensive anchor in the NBA than Gobert. He changes the chemistry of every offense he faces, no matter how many isolated possessions of him getting beat on the perimeter end up on Twitter. Gobert’s length, timing, and hustle keep guards out of the paint, often allowing him to single-handedly cover for Utah’s beatable perimeter defense. In a league where elite rim protection is the ultimate defensive trait, Gobert is the cream of the crop.
That said, there are other candidates. Giannis Antetokounmpo has been his typically dominant self on both ends of the floor, while fringe candidates like Mikal Bridges, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Matisse Thybulle will have their supporters.
At the end of the day, you could make a case for anyone, but the main threat to Gobert is voter fatigue, not a lack of performance on his end. We’re watching the career of an all-time defensive player unfold.